A Surprise Family Visit
by marylou
Summary: Terence and Gawain are surprised and worried when someone who knows their secrets shows up at court.
Terence stood behind Gawain's chair, his hands behind his back and a smile on his face. Arthur glanced over at him, acknowledging him with a slight smile. Terence nodded at him, turning to glance at the scullery maids coming into the room bearing flan. Again. He glanced again at Arthur, smirking at the look of confusion followed by the quick frown at the warmed up flan.

A herald entered the hall, pounding on the floor with his staff to gain the attention of the room.

"Majesty, Lords, Ladies," he bowed.

"Lady Lorie of Afalla has arrived at Camelot and wishes to be presented."

Terence frowned. It was probably just a coincidence. Lorie was a common name after all, right?

As the Lady Lorie entered the room, Terence's eyes widened in shock. It wasn't a coincidence.

In front of him, Gawain, who had been drinking deeply from his goblet of wine, suddenly choked and spewed the wine across the table, splattering Tor. The edges of Lorie's mouth twitched upwards.

Arthur glanced over in amusement as Terence scurried to fetch a cloth, mopping up the spilt wine and bringing a pitcher forward to refill Gawain's goblet.

"Lady Lorie, welcome to Camelot. Would you care to join us?"

"My thanks, Sire, but I wish to retire. I look forward to being in the illustrious company of you and your court in the future." Lorie's musical voice spread through the hall, seeming to light up the dark corners.

"Of course, milady. Perhaps you could join my queen and I for luncheon tomorrow?"

Lorie smiled. "It would be my pleasure, sire."

Arthur glanced over at Kai. "Sir Kai will escort you to the housekeeper. Good evening, milady." Lorie curtsied and turned in a swirl of skirts.

* * *

The rest of that night, Gawain was on edge.

He kept glancing back at Terrence, and frowning. Eileen also looked worried.

"What do you think she's doing here?" she whispered to Terence as he leaned over her to refill her goblet.

"I've no idea, but I'd say that whatever it is, Gawain's not going to be happy."

Eileen smirked. "That's an understatement," she muttered under her breath.

Across the room, Gawain caught Terence's eye and motioned to the hall. "Looks like Gawain wants me to find out what she's doing here."

"Good luck," Eileen smiled at her love. "Thanks, I think I'll need it." He grinned back, bowed, then turned to follow Lorie's path out the door.

* * *

"Terence!" Kai called.

"Yes, Sir Kai?"

"Could you show Lady Lorie to her room? It's the blue room in the southwest wing."

Terence raised a brow. "Of course, Sir Kai." He smirked. "Eager to get back to the banquet?"

Kai just glared.

Terence glanced at Lorie. This was a lot easier than he had expected it to be. He had expected to have to wait around and maybe climb through a couple windows, but this was much more convenient.

As Kai turned and left in a huff, Terence turned and smiled. "If you would follow me, my lady."

* * *

"So. . . " Terence began, glancing over at Lorie. "How are you?"

Lorie glanced back at him and rolled her eyes. "Come on, Terence, that's not what you want to ask me."

"You're right," Terence nodded firmly. "What are you doing here?"

"That's rather blunt." Lorie replied placidly.

Terence growled. "Come on Lorie, why did you come here? Gawain's about to blow his top off."

"Can I not visit my dearest brother and husband?"

"No. Well, yes, but not like this. This is too public. It draws too much attention. And what about if someone wonders where Afalla is?"

"I don't know what you're talking about. Afalla is a castle in Wales. It's very well known where I'm from."

Terence fell behind Lorie as they walked. "Yeah, I'll bet," he muttered under his breath.

* * *

Terence opened the door to Gawain's chambers.

"Milord?" he called.

"In here." Terence frowned and walked into the sitting room. Gawain was pacing in front of the fireplace, rubbing his head. As Terence entered the room, he turned and barked, "Well? What'd she have to say?"

Terence sighed. "Nothing. I asked her what she was doing here, and she just asked if it was wrong to visit her beloved relatives," he said sarcastically.

He slumped onto an armchair. "Why don't you go talk to her?" He asked. "She'd be more likely to talk to you. And this way you don't have to try and sneak down to the moat to visit her."

Gawain flushed. "What? The moat? Me? I'd never. . . I mean. . . "

Terence laughed. "Gawain, you're gone when I come in to wake you a couple mornings a week. You'd better not be anywhere but with my sister."

Gawain blushed. "I don't know what you're talking about," he mumbled, his face red.

Terence raised his brow. "Of course you don't." He propped his feet on the table in front of him. "So, what are we going to do about Lorie?"

Gawain smiled thinly. "She's your sister."

"But she's your wife. Your responsibility."

Gawain shrugged. "I don't think there's anything we can do but wait. You said she won't leave?"

Terence nodded. "That's what she said when I asked her, but maybe you'll have better luck."

"That's not likely," Gawain chuckled. "So," he continued, "since she won't leave, we might as well just wait and see what happens."

Terence looked at him. "That's your masterful plan? Just wait and see what happens?"

"Hey, I'm not the tactical sort. That's your job. I'm just your battering ram."

"My battering ram," Terence mused. "I wonder if you would be willing to repeat that in front of Kai."

Gawain snorted. "Not likely."

* * *

The next day, Terence rushed into Gawain's chambers.

"We've got a problem."

Gawain blinked in surprise, setting down the letter he had been writing to Gaheris. "What do you mean?"

"Lorie's been invited to lunch with Arthur," Terence blurted.

Gawain frowned. "I don't see how that's a problem. We agreed that there was nothing we could do but hope that she doesn't say anything incriminating."

Terence started pacing, running his hand through his hair in distress. "It's a problem because we've also been invited. The both of us. I've actually been invited, actually invited to eat, not to serve."

"Maybe it's just a coincidence."

Terence stared at his knight in bemusement. "Right. It's a coincidence that my secret half-sister, who is secretly married to you, happened to visit Camelot and arrange for a private meal with the king, his best knight, his wife, and the two of us. That makes perfect sense. Why didn't I think of that? Of course it's not a coincidence!"

Gawain winced. "There's no need to be sarcastic. Or to yell. It's hardly my fault." He leaned back in his chair. "And at least Eileen won't be there since she's left for a visit to Orkney."

"It's easy for you," Terence ranted, still frantically pacing. "You're just hiding a secret wife. I'm a secret duke who's powerful enough to destroy Camelot. And I've been hiding all that from Arthur." He paused his pacing and turned to Gawain. "He's not going to like that I've been hiding that. He's not going to react well, and I don't want to have to leave Camelot!"

"Lad, calm down. You don't know that Lorie's going to reveal our secrets. And even if she does, you've been a faithful servant to Arthur for years; you're one of his most trusted and loyal friends. He's not going to forget that."

"You're right," Terence sighed, collapsing onto a chair. "I'm just worried. I swear she's just trying to get me back for the frog incident last month."

Gawain glanced up. "The frog incident?"

Terence waved his hand. "It was nothing, she just over reacted."

"Did you tell that to her face?"

"Of course not, do I look stupid to you?"

There was a pause.

"Nevermind, don't answer that."

* * *

Later that evening, Gawain and Terence paused in front of the door to Arthur's private dining chamber. Gawain drew a deep breath. "You ready for this?"

"No. Come on."

As they walked into the room, they saw Lorie smiling and chatting to Guinevere. She turned when she saw them, brightening.

"Sir Gawain, I have heard much about you. I must confess, I have not been disappointed. You are exactly as the stories describe."

Standing across the room next to Arthur, Kai choked, coughing into his hand as he turned away, his face red.

"And this must be your faithful squire!" Lorie turned her attentions to her brother, her eyes smiling in silent laughter.

Terence regained his composure and bowed. "You honor us, milady." He kicked his brother, who yelped.

"Yes, of course, Gawain muttered, glaring at Terence. Terence glared back, entreating him to just play along

"It is so unfortunate that Lady Eileen had to leave court." Lorie trilled. "I have long admired her for her courageous rescue of Sir Gawain from the Chateau Wirral?"

Gawain's eyes crinkled. "Indeed, my lady. Lady Eileen is the perfect lady. I have never seen a more perfect vision of womanhood than that which greeted my eyes as the dungeon door swung open."

Terence glared at him. "Should have left you to rot," he muttered under his breath.

"What was that, Squire Terence?" Lorie turned her innocent eyes on her younger brother.

Terence bowed briefly in his chair. "It was nothing, my lady," he responded smoothly. He glared at Arthur as he choked back a snicker.

Lorie took a seat, smiling up at them. "Perhaps, sir, you could entertain us with the tales of your adventures. I would be interested in hearing them from your mouth."

Gawain swallowed as Lorrie's glance flickered down to his lips. He shifted in his chair. "Uh, perhaps it would be better if Sir Kai would entertain you, my lady. I'm afraid that I'm no good at telling enjoyable stories."

"Nonsense, Gawain," Kai barked, laughing. "You tell wonderful stories. I'm sure they would make marvelous bedtime tales."

Lorie smiled. "Come now, there's no need to be rude, Sir Kai. Why don't the both of you tell me your favorite story? It would make my dinner so much more enjoyable."

"A splendid idea, Lady Lorie," Arthur broke in. "But you mustn't neglect Squire Terence. Since he has accompanied Sir Gawain on the majority of his adventures, he must have some entertaining tales to tell." He smiled at Terence's glare.

"Of course!" Lorie turned to smile almost maliciously at Terence. "Why don't you begin, Squire Terence?"

He glared at her. If he survived this, he'd be sure to make her regret this entire incident.

* * *

A few days later Lorie stood in the courtyard next to her horse waiting to leave while Robin finished loading her bags onto the packhorse.

Gawain and Terence stood next to her. "So now that you're leaving can you tell us why you really decided to visit Camelot?"

Lorie turned to them with a smile, brushing her hair behind her ear as she spoke. "Oh, no real reason. I just felt like it."

"You just felt like it." Terence repeated. "You just felt like it."

"Yes. Like I said earlier, do I have to have a reason to visit my family?"

"You. . .you. . ." Terence sputtered. "Do you know how worried we were? We thought for sure that you were going to let something slip and ruin everything."

"Um, Terence," Gawain said, inching away from him nervously. "Why do you keep saying we?"

Terence turned to stare at him. "Well, you were the one who spent a few hours pacing and muttering at her under your breath."

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

Terence frowned. "What I'm talking about? What are you talking about?"

"Terence," Gawain muttered. "Look at Lorie's face."

"What are you. . . Oh." Terence looked in fear at the murderous look on Lorie's face.

"What do you mean you thought I would let something slip? Is that what you think of me? That I can't keep a secret?"

"Well, bye then, love," Gawain muttered, kissing his wife and dodging her blow as he hurriedly fled the scene.

Lorie ignored him, taking the chance to beleaguer her younger brother. "I just wanted to visit my dearest brother, and now you accuse me of trying to reveal all of your secrets! I just cannot believe you!"

"It wasn't just me! It was Gawain, it was mostly Gawain, go yell at him. . .I am . . ." He paused, looking at her. "You're laughing. Why are you laughing?"

Lorie gave up the battle and burst into laughter, reaching out to grab her horse's mane to keep her balance. "Oh, Terence, you should have seen your face!"

"What?. . .You. . .you were just acting, weren't you. How could you do that to me?"

"Oh, it was just too easy." Lorie smiled.

"Tell me the truth now, _sister dearest_ , why did you come to Camelot?"

Robin walked the pack horse over to them as Lorie turned and mounted her horse. She leaned down to her younger brother. "Remember last month?"

"What about last month?"

"Remember the frog incident?"

"What? That's what this is all about? Revenge for a simple prank?"

"Of course, brother dearest. You really should learn not to mess with me."

Terence watched in shock as she trotted off with Robin following her.

"I will never understand her," he muttered as he turned to go find Gawain and tell him what his wife had done.


End file.
